Social capital and subjective well-being: The mediating role of social networking sites

an article by Li-Ann Hwang, Jason Wei Jian Ng and Santha Vaithilingam (Monash University Malaysia) published in First Monday Volume 24 Number 10 (October 2019)

Abstract

Many studies have examined the separate impacts of social capital (bonding and bridging) and the use of social networking sites (SNSs) on subjective well-being (SWB). However, few studies address the mediating role that SNS use has on the relationship between social capital and SWB.

The current study addresses this research gap, examining the extent to which SNS use mediates the relationship between social capital and SWB. Moreover, this study theorizes SNS use to be a behavioural outcome of social capital, as opposed to the widespread view that SNSs are a tool to generate social capital.

Using primary data from a sample of 307 undergraduate students, the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was used to analyze the data via a sequential mediating mechanism.

The findings highlight the importance of the utilitarian use of SNS in mediating the relationship between bridging social capital and SWB. On the other hand, the direct effect of bonding social capital on SWB was found to be stronger than the indirect effects, indicating that SNS use is not crucial in mediating this particular relationship.

Theoretical and practical implications of the study are subsequently discussed.

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Direct and indirect effects of training vouchers for the unemployed

an article by Martin Huber (University of Fribourg, Switzerland) and Michael Lechner and Anthony Strittmatter (University of St Gallen, Switzerland) published in Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society) Volume 181 Issue 2 (February 2018)

Summary

The paper evaluates the effects of awarding vouchers for vocational training on the employment outcomes of unemployed voucher recipients in Germany, as well as the potential mechanism through which they operate.

This study assesses the direct effects of voucher assignment net of actual redemption, which may be driven by preference shaping and learning about possible human capital investments or simply by the costs of information gathering.

Using a formal mediation analysis framework based on sequential conditional independence assumptions and semiparametric matching estimators, our results suggest that the negative short-term and positive long-term employment effects of receiving a voucher are mainly driven by actual training participation.

However, the direct effect of just obtaining a voucher is negative over the short run as well.

This result points to potential losses in the effectiveness of such training provision systems if individuals decide not to redeem vouchers, as the chances of employment are lower than under non-award over the short run and under redemption over the long run, which makes non-redemption the least attractive option.

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